'India wants peace but won't accept any alteration in status quo at border'

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said India's stand on the issue was made clear to the Chinese side both through diplomatic and military channels.

New Delhi: Emphasizing that India wants peace with its neighbours and is committed to a peaceful resolution of the on-going border stand-off with China, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said, however, no attempt to unilaterally alter the status quo at the border would be unaccepted.

The minister said so while making a statement on the issue in Lok Sabha.

He said India's stand on the issue was made clear to the Chinese side both through diplomatic and military channels. The minister said the Indian Army responded well to the unprovoked aggression of the PLA and inflicted casualties on the Chinese side during the clash at the Galwan valley on June 15.

He said the buildup of troops and armaments by the Chinese side has been witnessed for the past few months in the border areas adjacent to eastern Ladakh.

The minister said even as this situation was being addressed by the ground commanders as per the provisions of the bilateral agreements and protocol, in mid-May the Chinese side made several attempts to transgress the LAC in other parts of the Western Sector.

Meanwhile, the BJP has praised the defence minister's statement on the floor of the house, saying now the country knows the exact situation on the border.

Party spokesperson Sonkar Shastri told ETV Bharat that the minister's statement also makes it clear that the whole nation is with the security forces and supports them.

He also praised the government for strengthening infrastructure at the border with China, saying the previous governments did not pay much attention to it.